


The Darker Days

by Nugg



Category: Persona 5
Genre: Akira centric, Longing, M/M, Sad, Sad boy vibes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-06
Updated: 2018-07-06
Packaged: 2019-06-06 03:11:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,847
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15185453
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nugg/pseuds/Nugg
Summary: It was so dreary in his hometown. So many heavy grey clouds, so conflicted on wether or not they should rain. He didn't enjoy the darker days before he left, and it didn't make it any better coming back.Pegoryu Week Prompt Six: Longing





	The Darker Days

       It was so dreary in his hometown. So many heavy grey clouds, so conflicted on wether or not they should rain. He didn't enjoy the darker days before he left, and it didn't make it any better coming back. Akira was just as misreble as the weather had seemed.

        Sitting alone in his seat at the back of the classroom while his childhood friends conversed in groups. Occasional glances in his direction caused a panic in the owners eyes. Turning away again as if he had the plague, he was somber. Figuring to not bother with making his time there enjoyable anymore.

      Those nasty kids didn't deserve to see his emotions anyway. As if his Joker mask had been set in storage, and wore one made of steel at school. Protecting his true self from getting hurt time and time again by being silent.

       Brave enough to face the guy with the criminal record, some would ask him if he was deaf. Some would make fun of him and say crude things right to his face. Sure, he put up an uncaring front, but that doesn't mean he couldn't feel their words. The pain of losing so many people was a stab to the gut, and the constant insulting digs twisted the knife each time.

        It was when he lay in his bed at night letting the hot tears blot his bedsheets, that the slander he'd received that day had registered. No vocal sobs, just quiet crying in a darkened room. Streetlights casting shadows all around.

        Blanket loosely drapped over him, he often found himself there. Useless without the conversation of his friends from Toyko. He'd auctioned off his energy as soon as he stepped foot back in the depressing home.

          Without Morgana there to comfort him, he had no idea what he'd do. The warmth of his tiny body against his chest, purrs of condolence lulling him to sleep. For such an asshole of an animal, the cat was always there to make things better in his own way.

          The worst moment had to be when he had to present in front of his class. Thinking he'd be fine up there, as eyes were on him at all times anyway. He couldn't have been more wrong.

         It was an English project, where you had to speak of important people in his life. And as much as he was dreading it, he felt proud of having so many friends. The small, impossible hope that people would stop berating him if they saw that others saw past his faults was there. Small. But there.

           English wasn't difficult to speak, but he was sure he butchered so many words. Presenting his booklet of pictures as a visual aid, nobody from his area was included. Everyone on the pages were from Toyko, and his peers knew that.

          He spoke with rough translation of Yusuke the artist, Haru the aspiring florist and head of Okumera Foods. Showed a photo of Ann and talked of her modeling. Makoto on her impressive smarts, and Futaba with her technology.

         Ryuji was left last. Because he had so much to say about his blond. Loud, obnoxious, but amazing. As many English adjectives he knew, he said. Watching as the class sat with bordem practically oozing from them.

          Finshed, someone he once knew closely snickered. Whispering, "Gay." Intentionally loud. Causing the whole room erupt in a wave of laughter. The sender satisfied with the reaction he'd got from his harshness.

          Switching back to Japanese, Akira smiled warmly, causing everyone to quickly shut their mouths. Gripping the booklet, he nodded, "Yes, gay is correct."

           The small comeback was hardly enough to go against all the terrible things they said. But it was so amazing to see the disgusted expressions of his classmates. Moving slowly back to his seat and soaking in the shock.

           Someone had said to another that he was probably lying about having friends. The girl who lived two houses down from him sneered that he was a creep for stealing pictures of random people from the Internet. Although obviously from the group photo he'd shown, they didn't like to look into the details.

           It was insanely hard to push away that he wasn't at Shujin. That he wouldn't ever be going back. He'd be lonely and stuck here until the day he turned eighteen.

           After the first few months there, the nagging weight that he would not graduate with his friends faded. He had accepted his fate in the messed up town. Praying for the day he mustered enough courage to run away back to Toyko and never look back.

          Video calls from his friends were constant. Ann going on and on about what someone said. Small topics for her caused an extensive conversation, but he listened. Gossip about people he never knew, he'd be able to tell you more about the brown haired girl Ann disliked who always acted stuck up than he could himself.

            Yusuke had no idea how to use a phone, so when he got the urge to show Akira his art, he'd go to Futaba. Blue and Orange clashing as they fought over screen time. The artist asking if the colors fit well, or if he should've done something different like the guy on the other screen had any knowledge of paint and it's textures. He was still proud though. Cheering him on and telling him the truth of how magnificent the peices looked.

         When Futaba would agressivly shove Yusuke aside, she'd talk about Sojiro, her hacking, or something dumb the blue haired kid was doing. Complaining that he was always over at her house and that he only wanted to hang out with her for their food. Speaking of Boss and the café,  of a profile she managed to blackmail once she got in their account.

           Haru and Makoto both collectively called him as well. In the same class that school year. Usually it'd be after classes because they'd be studying the rest of their free time. Talking about new business plans for Okumera Foods, or a new project Sae was working on at that time.

            He would always be there to listen. To take on their problems as he did when he lived in Tokyo. Sometimes, it felt like he never left.

           Of course, he couldn't leave Ryuji out of the equation. The most frequent contact on his phone never left a break in notifications, and Akira appreciated it. The odd hours they'd talk, the concern in the others voice as he looked at his boyfriends sullen face over the screen.

           Anywhere he went, he took his phone. Calling at random places like the subway, or the gym, just to hear his voice. Listening to each others problems rather than just one side being a therapist.

            It was painful to hang up. To watch them disappear off his screen and leave him back in his hometown. To throw him back into the fact that he wasn't with them anymore.

            After a particularly rough day at school, he'd sauntered back home. So prepared to lay in bed and sleep until the sun went  down. He made his way into the empty house.

          Nobody was ever home. Such a large house with one teenager living in it was an idiotic decision. Parents always away on business, he often wondered why they lived where they lived, so far away from anything interesting.

          Morgana had called out from upstairs to greet him. Like he'd done every day for the last seven months. Waiting at the top of the stairs for his leader to crash into his bed and never leave until he forced him to make dinner, or to shower.

          Flopping into the mattress on his stomach, he disregarded the yapping of the cat. Who needed parents when you had a black ball of fur yelling at you all the time?

            Akira pulled out his phone and attempted to call Ryuji. Only to be met with disappointment and a black screen. The bit of sadness hit him again that he was all by himself there. Although, he was quite used to that.

           That is, until a loud bang echoed through his home. Bolting up to see Morgana on edge with his hair up. Confused as to where it came from. They both knew it was the window when another noise sounded. Frozen in place.

           It was something hitting the glass. And the thought of that was terrifying. His bedroom was on the sceond floor. So, whatever it was, was either floating, or in his yard.

         Maybe kids from school? He thought, moving twords his window slowly. Would they be that dedicated as to torture him from his own home? Certainly if he wasn't alone in the huge house, this situation would be a million times less scary.

          If it was the monster that his dad told him lived in the cornfields when he was younger, he might've believed it. Hell, if he had a talking cat anything was possible. Inching closer.

           Fingers lightly on the fabric of the curtain, he held his breath. Flinching when another bang was right in front of him. Mona had joined him at his feet.

           Quickly he yanked back and light flooded the place. Blinding him for a moment, he adjusted his eyes. Peering out and thankful nothing was floating in front of the window, he looked down to the grass.

           And, then, he didn't think he'd ever screamed louder in his life. Pushing away from the wall when a blob of purple stood on the ground waving. Scrambling twords his door.

         Like he couldn't get down faster, he flew down the stairs. Feet hardly touching the ground when he lept from them and twords the exit. Falling into the wood before he flung it open, his heart was beating so fast.

         The dewey grass soaked his socks, but he paid no mind as he rounded the corner. Sliding around and standing still at the sight. Catching any breaths he had left, he was stuck in awe.

         There sat Ryuji in all his glory. Blond hair with very black roots showing. He hadn't changed at all. Still the goofy boy he'd watched leave in a train at Christmas break. Lopsided smile to greet him as he opened his arms.

             Akira cried out and ran forward. Losing balance halfway through and crashing into the warmth. They both tumbled to the ground.

            Ryuji was laughing uncontrollably, and hadn't noticed the tears moving down the others face as he buried himself in the blonds neck. Scent so framilar and so at home, he felt arms wrap around him when he melted into the purple fabric.

      For once, in his long time at the hellhole. The smallest bit of sunshine hit their backs. Wet with dew. And damp from crying, they could stay like that forever, and neither would ever try to let go.

      Maybe being so far away had more negatives.

      But the feeling that came when you reunited with the one you love, just might've overpowered everything else.

         

        

         

 

**Author's Note:**

> (ﾉ◕•ヮ◕•)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧*p:･ﾟl✧*s:･ﾟ✧*:c･ﾟo✧m*:･m*:e･ﾟn✧t*:･ﾟ✧


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